BEER

Ridley's was sold to Greene King on July 4th 2005, so the future of this beer is perhaps uncertain. It pours a deep reddish amber, with a creamy yellow head. It has a delicious nose, thick with biscuity malt, spice and rich red fruits. There is very good hopping too, with a lemon and grassy cut. On the palate it is creamy and dense, with fine, mouth-coating bittersweet flavours. At first I thought the sweetness may be overblown, but a lovely underpinning of tart red fruits and biting hops really delivers into the long, tangy finish. A very fine beer.